Manatee County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Manatee County Jail

Address:
14470 Harlee Road
Palmetto, FL 34205

Phone:

941-723-5132

How do Bail Bonds work at Manatee County Jail

Manatee County Jail Inmate Bond

Information about an arrestee's charge(s) and bond are available by clicking the Arrest Inquiry Link or by calling (941) 723-5132.
You can also get bond amounts by visiting the Central Jail Front Desk, which is open 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM, located in the lobby of the Central Jail...
14470 Harlee Road, Palmetto, Florida.

Things to know:

  • Only cash, cashier's checks, or money orders will be accepted.
  • Cash bonds are accepted 24-hours-a-day.
  • When posting bail, cashiers checks and money orders must be made payable to the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court.  
  • The inmates booking number should be written on the money order/check. 

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 941-723-5132 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Manatee County Jail.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.

Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Manatee County

Because Manatee County and Florida can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Manatee County Jail at 941-723-5132, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Manatee County Jail or the Manatee County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.

Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at Manatee County Jail

The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.

Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.

To pay a cash bond, go to Manatee County Jail or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.

Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to Manatee County Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office or to the Manatee County Court.

To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.

Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at Manatee County Jail

In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.

This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.



For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.

A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.

Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at Manatee County Jail

If you are a landowner in Manatee County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Manatee County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.

To find if property located outside of Manatee County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.

Click here for additional information on how to post bail at Manatee County Jail.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Manatee County Jail?

Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.

In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.

Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a Florida state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

Manatee County Justice System Flowchart

When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?

Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, Manatee County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.

What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?

The Manatee County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.

If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.

How to use a Tablet to Access Services at Manatee County Jail

To find out how to get access to a tablet for an inmate read the following:

1.  First, Register or Sign In to GTL / Viapath Services.

2.  In the top menu, click on 'Services', then on 'Inmate Devices & Content'.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Arrange Video Visitation with Manatee County Jail Inmates

Follow these instructions to schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL.

  • Register yourself and all visitors.
  • Select Manatee County Jail
  • Select your inmate.
  • Schedule your preferred time for the visit.

For all the information you need to know regarding scheduling, cost, rules, tips and guidelines of inmate visits at the Manatee County Jail, check out our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Manatee County Jail by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Manatee County Jail, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Manatee County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Manatee County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Manatee County Jail follow these steps:

  • Select Florida, then select Manatee County Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Manatee County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Manatee County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Manatee County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Manatee County.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Manatee County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Manatee County Jail follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Florida, then select Manatee County Jail, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account check out our full money and commissary guide for Manatee County Jail.


 

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